


darling you can give (but the world will take)

by agentmmayy



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: A lot of pain, Emotional Hurt, Gen, Hurt, I did not realize this would be that painful, like a lot, wait yes I did
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-08
Updated: 2018-05-08
Packaged: 2019-05-04 03:27:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14583951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/agentmmayy/pseuds/agentmmayy
Summary: Robbie returns to collect on the Rider’s deal but Daisy won’t let Coulson go without a fight.





	darling you can give (but the world will take)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Fierysky](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fierysky/gifts).



> this is for my lovely fierysky who posted the prompt for "Robbie returns to collect on the Rider’s deal and has to fight Daisy because she won’t let Coulson go." To give you some timeline, this was after the episode where Coulson revealed the deal he made. yes, i am just now completing it, oops. girl, I am SO SORRY this took me so long but I hope you enjoy :)

Robbie knew she was waiting.

The hallways of the new base were dark and cold, echoing the current standards of Robbie’s heart as he walked further in. He had been away in another dimension, busy fighting off grotesque creatures and finding a place to secure the Darkhold when the Rider had nudged him, whispering the words Robbie had been dreading to hear. 

_It’s time._

He had tried to fight it, but the Rider had taken over. The next thing Robbie knew, he was falling through a portal into a storage area in a new place with the need to please the Rider’s wishes burning in his veins.

Ahead, a figure was illuminated by the scarce light. He knew their height and appearance by heart. Robbie swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry.

"Daisy," he began.

"Don't," Her voice was rough as she cut him off, a sharp tone he hadn't heard before from her lips. "You can't take him." 

"He made a deal."

"Fuck the deal." Daisy's voice cracked. She took a breath, her chest heaving, "You can't have him." 

"It's not me," Robbie pleaded for her to understand as he walked closer, "It’s the Rider. He made a deal." 

"No." The heartbreak in her voice shattered what was left of Robbie's soul. 

He knew what Coulson meant to her and what she meant to him. When the Rider took over Coulson, he could see the man's very thoughts. Robbie knew how hard it would be for her to let him go and hated that it had to be done.

He neared but almost staggered back when Daisy lifted her chin to look at him. He had seen her beaten up badly before, partially by his own doing, but no physical wound could compare to the anguish in her eyes. It weighed on her shoulders, erased her once fiery persona. Daisy looked defeated as if life had her pinned down in the boxing ring and delivered nonstop blows. The emptiness in her eyes told him she had been through hell and back. Something had transpired in the time he had been gone, something more than Coulson dying.

“No,” Daisy began again. She raised her chin in defiance, “I won’t let you take him.”

"I don't want to do this!" Robbie yelled. Truly, Robbie did not want to. He was beginning to become frustrated, not only at Daisy but also at himself. He was too weak to hold the Rider and its desires back. 

Daisy’s eyes were hard in a way Robbie had never seen them before. He knew she wouldn’t let Coulson go anytime, but he knew she wouldn’t let him go without a fight. This fight, however, wasn’t going to be between friends. 

The first hit came as a surprise. 

The force from Daisy’s outstretched hand threw Robbie backward, flying straight into the wall behind him. He didn’t expect Daisy to use her powers immediately, but this was no amateur fight. He got up almost immediately, instincts screaming at him to fight back. 

Daisy was not relenting as she stalked toward him. In a brief moment, Robbie came to a clear understanding. He had to fight to live.

Rolling over quickly, he dodged the next burst of power from her hands. She advanced on him, a guttural cry ripping from her core as their fight promptly filled the bare hallway with grunts and the sounds of fists hitting their targets.

He tried to reason with the Rider as Daisy kept throwing blow after blow at him, but the demon wouldn't listen. It wanted Phillip J. Coulson, and it wanted him _now._

A familiar broken scream fought its way through Robbie's gritted teeth as he transformed into the Rider. Pain ignited every nerve as the flames burnt through his flesh. Robbie knew that while Daisy could defend herself against him, she couldn’t defend herself as well against the Rider. The Rider was nearly invincible, a demon fueled with revenge and rage, even as it and Daisy fought.

When Daisy thrust her hand out toward the Rider, sending out vibrations so hard, the Rider’s neck snapped back, it reached up and whipped the chain off Robbie’s torso. With one twist of Robbie’s wrist, the chain ignited.

Daisy cried out in pain as the chain flicked her arm. Robbie screamed, all the anger in his body shoving the Rider out of the way. He opened his mouth to apologize, but a powerful blow straight to his chest sent him flying back into a wall.

He felt ribs crack and groaned, lifting his still flaming head to see Daisy, with her hand, stretched out, coming toward him. 

Pinned to the wall, he couldn't move and struggled against her force. For a second, fear flickered in his mind. He knew the extent of Daisy's powers and knew how much damage she could do. He opened his mouth but a sudden, harsh blow of vibrations to his neck cut off his words, and his air supply.

Robbie was left gasping for breath as Daisy neared and the vibrations became stronger. When his vision began to grow dark, he let the Rider take over once more. He didn't scream as he transformed but gasped for breath as the Rider broke free of the vibrations around his throat.

Daisy remained unrelenting, coming closer. She was unafraid of the Rider and came face to face with the flickering flames which danced against the tracks of tears down her cheeks. 

"You can't have him." The pure agony in her tone made the Rider pause for a second.

Daisy was in front of it now, holding eye contact with the Rider’s eyeless sockets. _"Please,_ " she begged, unafraid as the gripped Robbie's jacket in clenched fists. Fresh tears dripped onto the floor beaneath them as she squeezed her eyes shut and hung her head. Both the Rider and Robbie could feel her desperation.

Through the flames, Robbie could see a still healing, now torn open scar on Daisy’s neck, right below her ear as her hair swept forward. That wasn’t there before, and neither was the agony the Rider sensed emanating from it.

"Please, please,” Daisy repeated. Her voice cracked, “Take me instead." 

This was not the first time the girl had offered her life to it. The Rider glanced at her soul once more. It was different, this time. Heartache still engulfed it as well as grief, but there was…betrayal, with the heartache and grief now focused outward instead of inward. What wasn’t different, was the blinding white purity beneath. The Rider was disgusted at the purity of Daisy’s soul. It had seen her soul before and didn't want it then. This time was no different.

The Rider threw her away, huffing angrily. Robbie watched through the Rider as Daisy landed on the floor, her body crumbling from the force of the Rider’s throw. It angered Robbie. He never wanted to see Daisy hurt, especially not from the Rider which he was supposed to be controlling.

He fought between forms as Daisy got up. The fire was renewed in her eyes and her force stronger than before even though there was a thick trail of blood oozing from above her eyebrow. She charged at him, her very being nearly vibrating with desperate rage.

_Anything._ Robbie thought to the Rider between dodging Daisy's blows. _Anything but this._

The Rider made sure to exhaust him first, both physically and emotionally as Robbie gritted his teeth each time he heard Daisy’s gasps and grunts of pain. Each time, she would lash out harder, and each time, Robbie hated himself even more.

_Fine._

The Rider left Robbie as soon as it appeared. He took a gasping breath as he returned back, feeling the edges of flames lick his neck. 

Daisy was lying in a heap on the ground, the only motion to indicate she was still breathing was the jerky rise and fall of her shoulders as she sobbed. 

"Daisy-" 

"Go." Her voice was harsh, empty. She didn't even lift her head to look at him. 

With a bitter taste in his mouth, Robbie knew what relationship he had with Daisy was ruined. He could never face her again, could never cause her any more pain. If keeping Coulson alive meant Robbie losing any friendship he had with Daisy, he would be fine with that.

So Robbie left, the sounds of Daisy's soft sobbing echoing in his empty soul and the remains of charred flesh sticking to his cheeks.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you so much for reading! did you cry? because I know I did. you can find me on tumblr at casualsketchpaintingfan if you want to drop me a line or chat :)


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